Beneath a Moonless Sky
by midnight-lykos
Summary: A man from Stephanie's past has emerged from the shadows. He wants Stephanie to return with him. Ranger wants to send him packing. Lula wants some Tank lovin'. And everyone wants to know how Steph even knows the man in question. But what does Steph want?
1. Princess

When I was twenty five, I went through a phase. A phase of travel. It hit me without warning. One day I simply woke up and the itch to see the world was driving me crazy. So, I did the only thing I could do. I saved up my money, packed my bags and left Trenton for two and a half years - without so much as a second glance. I toured the states and then the world. I stayed clear of the drugs but found it a lot harder to resist the men. Thankfully, I left them all behind. Or so I thought.

I sigh as I ease my motorbike to a halt. Placing both feet on the ground, I cut the ignition and pocket the key. Dragging my head out of the helmet, I run a hand through my curls. Helmet hair – ugh. The only downside to my current transport situation. Hanging the helmet on the right handlebar, I give the bike seat a loving pat. Six months ago I made the decision to switch from four wheels to two. Not only do I look damn fine on my Honda VTR 1000, but it is a hell of a lot harder to place a bomb on a bike. Points for Stephanie.

Turning my attention to the elevator, I cast the camera a little finger wave before the steel doors close. I've been working at Rangeman for over four months now, ever since me and Joe called it quits for good. The break up wasn't hard, but it wasn't exactly easy either. There were tears, there was yelling, but near the end, there were hugs and promises not to write things on bathroom walls. I now vary my work between the bonds office and distractions, surveillance and searches for Rangeman. The pay isn't bad and nicely steady, I haven't been behind on my rent in three months. More points for Stephanie.

I unzip my leather jacket and glance down at my boots. I tap them together, mimicking Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. _There's no place like home._ I close my eyes, but sigh with defeat when I hear the elevator ding. It was worth a try. For some reason, I woke up this morning and just did not want to work. I mean, not the usual 'I can't be bothered to get my ass out of bed' feeling. I'm talking Spidey senses are tingly here. Stepping forward I pass the guys on monitor duty and give them a pair of raised eyebrows - greetings from a tired Stephanie.

"Morning Beautiful." Lester grins as I stop outside my cubical. I'm glaring at the computer, hoping that my eyes will suddenly turn to lasers and that pesky problem will be gone. "Dreading a day of being glued to the screen?" He asks innocently as I turn my dirty look on him. "It isn't funny, I'm going to be stuck here all day, my ass numb and my eyes crossed." I mutter darkly, smiling despite myself at Lester's cheesy smile. For the past week I've been avoiding my inbox like the plague. I've done everything I can think of, distractions, low bond skips, a couple of high bond skips, hell, I even volunteered to do surveillance just to avoid searches. But it's Friday now, and my futile attempts to run are over. Admitting defeat, I step forward and drop myself into my seat. "Bring me a coffee Lester, this going to be a long day."

Seven hours, fours cups of coffee and a countless number of searches later, there's a knock on my cubicle. I wearily turn around, rubbing my eyes and stretching my legs. "Yeah?" I yawn, blinking up at Ranger's frowning face. "I haven't done anything!" I insist quickly, perhaps a little too quickly because he raises a single eyebrow. "I haven't blown anything up. Haven't gotten myself covered in filth. I haven't even had a doughnut in a whole week!" My defences are up because his look hasn't changed. Stepping forward, he holds out a single rose. "Babe."

"Oh. Thanks." I sheepishly grin, reaching for the flower. "It's not from me." His tone says angry but he's got the blank face on, so it's hard to tell how bad this really is. "Oh?" I match his frown and take a small white envelope from his other hand. I glance up, thinking he's going to leave me alone. Apparently not. He waits expectedly, eyes trained on the stationary. Rolling my own pair of eyes, I turn away from him. I tear open the envelope and pull out a creamy white card. Inside there's one word. One word which I had hoped never to see again

_Princess_

Ranger has stepped closer, reading over my shoulder. "Something you want to tell me about, babe?" Turning on my heel suddenly, I brush past him without so much as a glance. I feel the eyes of the entire crew on me, curious to know who's brave enough to send Ranger's girl flowers. None of them have apparently noticed that nothing has happened in the past four months between us. No stolen kisses, no midnight visits, no nothing – all has been quiet on the Ranger front. Not that he's avoided me. In fact, it's just the opposite. We may not be bed buddies, but lately we've spent a lot of time getting to know each other. Which is fine by me. I know Ranger can't commit to a relationship, and at the same time, I can't be satisfied with great sex and nothing more. But lately, the single life has started to loose it's attraction and I've been trying to get a date, but apparently I'm Ranger's untouchable woman. Note to self, tell Ranger to spread the word that me and him are nothing more than friends.

I reach the paper shredder and jam the flower inside, watching with satisfaction as it's destroyed. Next comes the card. All the while, I'm trying to reassure myself. Shaking my head, I quietly mutter. "It's not him. It's definitely not him." I bump into a hard muscled chest as I turn around. Ranger again. "Babe?" His single eyebrow raises itself once more. Glancing at the shedders contents, I can tell he's intrigued by my actions. "It's nothing." And with that I march back to my desk.

An hour later I hear a knock once again. Whirling around I find Lester holding a bouquet of half a dozen red roses. "Don't tell Ranger, ok?" I warn, grabbing the flowers. Nestled amongst them is another white card. "Don't tell me what?" A quiet voice inquires. Lester casts me a 'I tried' look, shrugs his massive shoulders and quickly scrams. I'm left alone with an annoyed looking Cuban sex god. "What does it say, Steph?" It actually says: _Princess, play nice._ But he doesn't need to know that. "Nothing important." I try to edge past him but he grabs both the flowers and the card. Flicking his eyes from me, to the card, he growls ever so slightly. "He seems determined." _Determined? Ranger, you don't know that half of it._ "He's nothing. Give me those." I snatch the flowers back and throw them into a near by bin. I pretend to be interested in my searches, waiting for Ranger to leave me alone. Ten minutes pass and I know he's still standing there, staring at me. I put on my best puppy-dog eyes and face him once again. "Ranger, it's nothing. Seriously, let it go." Now he's smirking at my pout but apparently it works because he slowly walks away. Phew.

"Stephanie." It's my full name and it can only mean one thing. With a resigned sigh, I stand up and take the flowers from Ranger. A full dozen red roses, and another card. I had come so close, I just started to shut down my computer and pick up my purse, all I had to do was make it to the damn elevator. I flick open the card and hang my head in defeat. _Princess, the more you throw away, the more I'll send. _The problem is, it's true. Knowing what I have to do, I shove the card in my jeans pocket and keep a firm grip on the flowers. "Thanks." Ignoring Ranger's open hand – no doubt waiting for the card – I make my way towards the elevator. I can't hear his footsteps but my tingling spine lets me know Ranger is following me. "Boss, we've got a breach in security. There's a car down stairs in the parking lot, and... some guy is just leaning against it..." Hal reports, sounding confused as hell. There's two reason's behind this. One, no one has ever broken into Rangeman. Two, if anyone was to ever break in here, they would not spend their time casually leaning against a car. Looking at the screen over Hal's shoulder, I sigh.

"Oh, fuck."

_A/N: Heya Plum fans. This is my first Plum fanfic. I'm a Babe most of the time, have to admit it. But I will definitely read and appreciate input from Cupcakes. Don't worry, Joe won't be abused. He's a decent guy, he's just not the guy for Steph (But hey, that's my opinion, and I love to hear others). Anyway, in my universe, the characters are a little younger, but only by a year or two. Steph is maybe 28/29 and Ranger is 30. Our mystery man will be introduced in the next chapter. Please read and review. Reviews motivate me big time. And I love to hear what fellow Plum fans have to say. Cheers._


	2. Son of a bitch

_A/N: Hi everyone, I loved the all the responses I got last time. Hope I don't disappoint. Remember, advice is always welcome. This will be a Babe HEA, definitely. Though I will make Ranger work for it. Just to clarify, Stephanie is 28 in this universe and Ranger is 30. Anyway, let me know how I'm going, where you think the story should go, etc, etc. Cheers._

Ignoring the group stare on me, I drop the flowers, turn to the right and begin to take the stairs three at a time. _Please, please, god, let this be a terrible nightmare. I'll tell you what, you give me this, and I'll try to be a better person. I'll go to confession once a year, I'll lay off the birthday cake, I'll learn how to cook. Ok, so I wont really learn how to cook, but I'll do the other stuff, I swear. Just cut me some slack. _I can hear the heavy footsteps of accompanying Rangemen, but for once I think I might just beat them in a race. Too bad I'm too busy panicking to actually gloat and do a victory dance. I burst through the ground floor door and carrying on walking, not even stopping for a second. Hal was right, a tall figure is casually leaning against a dark silver Porsche, watching and waiting. As I approach, a second, bulkier figure emerges from the driver's side but remains in the shadows. Sensing that this is a safe distance, I come to a halt and let out one word.

_**RANGER'S POV**_

As I race after Steph on the stairway, I feel my fear begin to rise. When the first rose had come, I'd instantly assumed it was another stalker. I was pissed. If a stalker knows she works here, this building is no longer completely safe. Even as she was opening the card, I was already making a mental list of the safe houses she could go to. But the look on her face when she'd read the card told me that this was something bigger, much bigger. Despite the fact she tried to convince me it was nothing, I knew that she was upset. I let it slide though, deciding she would tell me when she was ready. But when the second batch came, and she tried to hide it from me, my patience grew thin. I tried to wait her out, but she carried on insisting it was nothing. The problem was, not only was she lying, but this guy somehow knew what she had done with the first rose. Not only does he know where she works, but he knows her actions inside what is meant to be a secure building. I took a mental note of my staff, but I couldn't name one who would betray me. I also couldn't convince myself that someone had hacked into my security footage, it just isn't possible. When the final dozen came, I knew I was taking her up to seven to get some answers. Either there is another crazed psycho, or she has an admirer from the past – personally I'm not willing to stand for either.

Not only was I getting angry, but as the flowers kept coming, I noticed my men getting agitated. Their eyes would flicker from me, to the flowers, and back again. It was easy to see what was going on in their minds. _Holy shit, someone's sending the boss's girl flowers. He's gonna be fucking cranky til we find this guy. And I'm gonna be stuck doing over time until either he beats the crap outta him, or his testosterone suffocates us all._ Apparently no one has noticed that the typical innuendo and back ally kisses between my babe and me have been absent for a while now. To be honest, I'm glad my men have been so unobservant, I wouldn't want them to get the wrong impression and think babe is available for a relationship. She's not. So why the four months of silence? The first two were observation - I had to be sure that Morelli was out of the picture. The third month I spent in the wind. And the fourth...well, the fourth has been spent trying to figure out how to actually approach my babe. I've been confused. Do I ask her out on a date, start from the very beginning? Or should I skip all that and jump straight into a relationship with her? Has she ever considered me as the relationship kind of guy? Of course not. I've made it clear, condoms are a yes, rings are a no. But that was when Morelli was in the picture. Now that he's gone, every time I pass a jewellery store and see a diamond ring, I imagine it on Stephanie's finger. And how am I meant to convince her that after a year of conditioned love, suddenly I'm up for a relationship? Hell, I'd be doubtful if anyone tried that crap on me.

My conclusion. Congratulations Manoso, you've dug yourself a nice hole here. 

Then Hal informed me of the breech and her wide eyed gaze and two words said it all. For a moment we all stared at the staircase, bewildered that Stephanie Plum was actually using the staircase without being told to, asked to, or having an elevator out of order. Now everyone knew something was seriously wrong.

So here we are, rushing down stairs, amazed that we can't seem to catch babe. I hear the door open and my heart beat sharply increases as I manage to push myself forwards. As we reach the ground floor, we pull our guns out and prepare ourselves for the worst.

_**STEPHANIE'S POV**_

"Aedan."

It's been so long since I have spoken that simple name. But not long enough. He's just the way I remember him though. Still towering over me at six foot six. Still keeping his black hair reasonably short. And still watching me with glowing amber eyes. At the sound of his name, a smile breaks out across that handsome face. But despite that smile, I can feel his examining gaze and I squirm slightly. I've always been uncomfortable whenever under scrutiny, no doubt he remembers that. Silently, he tilts his head first to the left, then to the right. During this moment, a group of at least ten Rangemen have joined us, guns raised and at the ready. But being the man he is, he pays little attention to the impending threat. After three minutes of silence, that smile suddenly turns into a grin and I realise that he's found whatever he was looking for.

"Princess."

He whispers the word, taking a step forward. I even let out a small sigh at the sound of his Irish accent. But all of a sudden a black blur passes and stands between us. Ranger. "Babe?" He throws a glare in Aedan's direction before his eyes lock onto my own, silently questioning me. Every single pair of eyes is on me at this precise moment and let me tell you, I can feel the pressure. The way I see it, there are two ways this can be done. Either I can lie, bluff my way through this and end up filling Ranger in on the details later. Or I can confess now and get the inevitable over and done with. Being the Queen of Denial, I am very tempted to do the first option. However, the determined look on Ranger's face makes me lean towards the second.

"Everyone, this is Aedan O'Doherty." I sigh, waving unenthusiastically at the pale man in front of me. During my moment of thinking he has drawn his gun and pointed it at Ranger, disliking the sudden barrier between us. All around there are murmurs of disapproval and angry mutterings. The O'Doherty clan does have a rather infamous reputation amongst both those who uphold the law, and those who break it. Ignoring the looks from my co-workers, I brush past Ranger and step closer to Aedan. I raise my eyebrows in question and place my hands on my hips. "What are you doing here? Scratch that. _How_ are you even here? From what I remember, when you took that fall, they said you'd be under glass for at least five years." From out of nowhere, I'm speaking another language entirely. Gang slang they like to call it. It's the language that members of the Mafia use in order to confuse the FBI when they bug conversations. Unless you actually understand the lingo, it sounds like the mutterings of a crazy person. And from what I know, Rangeman has not got an employee fluent in gang slang. Thank god. "Now I'll admit it, you're a stand up man, and you'd rather be a stiff than a suke - so being a canary is obviously not how you got out of the warehouse. Be on the one with me, how did you get out?" In the background, people are nudging each other and asking 'what the fuck?', and to my delight, even Ranger looks stumped. Aedan on the other hand is smirking at my choice of language. "They let me out on good behaviour; I was a bit of a Hobbit you know." This answer has me scoffing in disbelief and shaking my head. "You? A Hobbit, get out of here. Let me guess, you finally gave into the rabbit blood?" He looks offended for a brief moment. "Do I look like I belong in the Great Escape?" "Palm oil. The only other way you could get out was a big fat helping of palm oil." I state, knowing I've finally hit the nail on the head. Aedan's wink confirms my suspicions.

"Ok, so you got out using palm oil, that would have taken you six months max. That doesn't explain why you're here, three years later." This is why I'm confused. I assumed that not seeing him for the first year meant I was in the clear, apparently not. "Six months? Christ, I wish it had been that easy. I was blocked at every turn. Every time I came close my plans were put on ice. I only got out two days ago, Princess." "Two days ago?" My confusion just increased by ten-fold. "Of course. If I had managed to get out three years ago, don't you think I would have come here sooner?" He knows the answer to that question, but he wants to hear the words from my own lips. "Well..." I begin, not too sure how to phrase the sentence. "Princess?" His voice sounds innocent enough but the smirk on his face reveals that he's having fun. "No. I did not think that you would come. Ok?" I sigh, tugging on the hem of my Rangeman shirt. Aedan's mouth opens, but before he can speak a voice cuts him off.

_**Ranger's POV**_

"Aedan O'Doherty?" I suddenly ask, trying to keep the confusion in my voice to a minimal. "Yes, Aedan O'Doherty, the Irish Mafia prince, soon to be King." My babe explains, not taking her eyes off of the man in front of her. I know who he is though – everyone involved in the law knows of O'Doherty. Additionally, I know that while babe may be upset at his presence, she isn't disgusted by the sight of him. And that smile she had when speaking that language, I know that that was a genuine Stephanie smile. What I don't know is how Stephanie knows O'Doherty personally. I also have no idea what the pair have just been discussing. "Princess, dad is dying, I am the King." At this comment Stephanie's eyes widen and she takes a step back. Being the Queen of Denial, she shakes her head, brunette curls flying in all directions. That doesn't seem to bother him though. "I came to get you, every King needs a Queen." O'Doherty manages to take two steps closer before I come to my senses and intercept him. I say the first sentence which comes to mind. "She's with me now, clear off."

There's a growl in my voice and I can't help the way my eyes narrow ever so slightly. O'Doherty casts me an uninterested glance, clearly unfazed by me, my men, and our guns. "Excuse me?" My babe's voice interrupts my train of thought and the tone tells me I'm in trouble. Big trouble. "Oh no, I am not with you. I have never been with you. And judging by your past comments and our current situation, I never will be with you." She's walked around to face me now and the redness of her ears tells me I've just triggered the full rhino mode. Before I can defend myself, she carries on. "You know what your problem is Ranger? You only want me when I'm taken. When I was with Morelli, you'd poach every chance you got. Kisses in the alley. Gropes while you wired me for a distraction. Promises to fill my bed if it was empty for too long." She pauses for a moment and the only sound in the entire garage is her breathing in deeply. "And now that Morelli's gone? You don't want to touch me with a ten-foot barge-poll! No more kissing. No more touching. No more nothing. And then Aedan comes along and suddenly, 'we're together'? I don't fucking think so. Do everyone a favour Ranger, and make up your mind. Either you want me, or you don't. And when you figure out which one it is, let me know." There's complete silence as all my men stare at me, waiting for a reply. But I'm stunned. The logic and truth in her argument is undeniable. From her point of view, she has every right to be mad. Every word she's said is absolutely true.

Turning away from me, she looks back at O'Doherty, and I clench my fists at that smug bastards smirk. "I always did bring out the temper in you Princess." He admits, flashing a set of perfect white teeth. I would give anything, anything I tell you, to wipe that grin of his face. Babe holds up a hand. "Don't. Just don't. Get in Porsche and we will continue this discussion back at my apartment." I clear my throat, ready to tell babe that she isn't going anywhere with this guy, but her glare swivels back to me, daring me to challenge her. I decide that giving her some time to cool off might be best. "Oh, and these are for you." O'Doherty adds casually, producing a bouquet of two dozen roses from behind his back. A blush creeps up Stephanie's neck as she accepts the gift. "How did you know?" It's a question that has been bugging me as well, so I pay close attention. "Five guys with high powered binoculars on the rooves of the five closest buildings. Plus I hacked into Rangeman live security feed. But most importantly, I just know you so well." My muscles start to shake from the effort of not tackling this guy. If he thinks that he can just swoop in here, offer some pretty flowers and say some cheesy sentences, and then walk away with my women, he is sorely mistaken. His attention suddenly turns to me. "You should think about investing in some tinted windows and a better security system. Especially since, you know, you are a security firm." There's a collective intake of breath and once again, every gaze is on me, waiting. "Aedan. Stop. Please, for me. Just get inside the Porsche and let's go." Babe is quick to pounce before I can retaliate. O'Doherty gives her a nod, opening the back door. "See you guys on Monday." Babe quietly promises before sliding in. The bastard follows quickly, along with the second man who has remained in the shadows. I stare as a bulky arm casually leans out of the driver's window and swipes a card through the security mechanism.

Son of a bitch.

_A/N: Just thought you would like a translation for the gang slang. Which is a real thing btw. Normally different countries and different Mafia's use different languages, but I'm combining words from different systems. Also, I know things aren't clear but the discussion in the next chapter should hopefully clear most things up._

_Take a fall – get arrested or put in prison_

_Under glass – to be in prison_

_Stand up man - a gangster who will never inform on fellow gang members (even if cut a deal by police_

_Stiff – a dead body_

_Suke – an informer_

_Canary – a police informer_

_On the one – to be honest_

_Hobbit – a person who keeps their head down and does their time._

_Rabbit blood – a strong desire to escape from prison_

_Palm oil – a bribe_


	3. Of Course

_**Stephanie's POV**_

I keep my eyes firmly glued to the window. One close up look of him and I might just loose it. Whether I loose myself in anger or lust, I'm not too sure. Anger was what I had felt when the roses had come. I was furious that he thought he could swoop in three years later and once again, tell me what to do. But the moment I saw him in the garage, my hormones betrayed me and reminded me that this was a man who knew my body like no other. Morelli knew me pretty well, but we had been on and off for over a year. Aedan had spent two whole uninterrupted years learning how to turn me into a puddle in just one caress. And Ranger? Well, I don't think it's fair to compare him to Batman considering we've only had the one encounter. I will admit though, that while we did only have one night together, it was one hell of a night...

Stephanie, now is not the time to fantasize about men in your bed.

I inhale deeply and try to focus on being angry. The angrier I am, the less likely I am to fall for his persuasion. Trust me, the man can persuade like no other. Ranger can never convince me that a safe house is my best option, no matter who is stalking me. Aedan cannot only have me convinced in five minutes, he'll have me thinking it was the best idea since Tasteycakes.

Think angry. Think of all the things he's done in the past. Every single little detail that made your eye twitch. He wouldn't let you leave the country. He stole your passport. He had two body guards who followed you everywhere but the bathroom. He never listened to your threats. He always ordered for you – what kind of a jerk never lets you choose your own meals? Whenever you called him names, he'd just give you that goddamn sexy smile and it was like he'd never even heard you. He never even had the damn decency to apologize. Not once did he ever tell me he was sorry for turning my life upside down.

Suddenly, I realise that directions are needed. "You need to make a right..." But the sentence dies in my throat. The driver is way ahead of me. I catch his gaze in the mirror and a small smile reaches his eyes. "Of course you don't need directions, how foolish of me." One more for the angry list. He's always in control. Never have I once know a situation where Aedan O'Doherty was not in control. Even in the bedroom he was always in command. Granted, he was pretty good...Ok, so that's a lie. He was fantastic. Amazing. In fact, I swear the man is God's gift to women.

Stephanie! You're meant to be angry, remember? You're meant to be furious that once again the man sitting next to you thought that you would just welcome him with open arms. After keeping you hostage in Ireland for two years, denying you your friends and family, and holding you back from living your life; he has the nerve to smile at you and whisper that stupid nickname in that stupid sexy accent. Dammit! I can feel my ears still burning and I know I've reached my boiling point. Good. Let's see if the bastard remembers how to deal with full rhino Stephanie.

The moment the car pulls to a halt, I step outside and head straight into my building. My feet barely touch the ground as I keep my fists clenched tight and my thoughts furious. While I race on, I know that Aedan and the driver are casually trailing behind me – neither in a rush. Then I feel them – his eyes on my ass. _Son of a bitch._ I shoot him my over-the-shoulder burg glare. He flashes me a full on pearly white grin. His eyebrows raise and I can tell his eyes have darkened. Good thing he makes his anger thing easy. "You can look all you want, but it's not yours to touch anymore." I casually remark, smirking at his frown and sharply turning my head back around. Jerk.

We reach the door and I pause, checking my pockets for keys. Aedan just steps past me, pulling out his own set and unlocking the door. "What the- Give me those!" I demand holding out my hand but it's like talking to a brick wall. He turns to me, takes possession of my hand and places a gentle kiss on my palm. Silently he drags me inside my apartment, his hand going straight to the light switch – he's been in here already. My suspicions are confirmed as I'm greet by the sight of suitcases standing in the corner, two coats thrown over the arm of my couch and five bags of groceries decorating my dining room table.

The door slams shut and a large figure brushes past us. The driver. In the garage he'd remained in the shadows, but I knew who it was all along. Kirk. He is both Aedan's best friend and body guard. Ever since he was first able to walk, he's been protecting Aedan. From the monsters in the closet, to bullies at primary school, and awkward break ups as a teen. I know for a fact that he's taken beatings for Aedan and even did a stint in prison once. And I myself was present at the precise moment he took his fifth bullet for his boss. And yet, never once has he complained. Heck, he even took the bullet in silence.

Basically, Kirk is the Irish and illegal form of Tank. He's a right hand man who's dedication and loyalty know no limits. Not only that, but he's about the same size as Tank, perhaps a little bigger. Also, he does have a great eight pack and can lift me up with a single hand, making me feel feather light - even after eating an entire tub of Ben and Jerry's.

"You're looking great Steph. I'm glad you've still got those sexy curls." He also knows how to rub me just the right way, helping me put up with Aedan's antics. Speaking of the devil, the man in question narrows his eyes in warning at Kirk before tugging me close. His arms wrap around me and despite my efforts to keep the distance between us, I find myself pressed tightly against his warm body. My favourite cologne creeps up my nostrils and I briefly close my eyes. Of course he remembered. As one hand smooths my back gently, the other laces through my hair and I feel him place a gentle kiss on my neck. "Aedan, stop it." His chest muffles my protest but he hears it. And he ignores it.

Big jerk.

Instead, he pauses for a moment and inhales. "Princess, I love you, but I have got to be honest - whatever body-wash you're wearing, it just doesn't suit you." Even though he can't see them, my eyes roll. Of course he wouldn't like Ranger's Bulgaria. In fact, if he knew who this body-wash originally belonged to, I'm sure he'd drag me into the shower and scrub me until I was Bulgaria free. My hands creep upwards and which much effort I manage to create enough distance to tilt my head upwards. "I happen to love this shower gel. It stays. You on the other hand, can go." Completely ignoring my request, he quickly kisses my forehead and a smile spreads across his face. "Wait until you see the presents I got you Princess. They're in the bedroom..." And with that, he leads me toward my room. I know this tactic, however, and shake my head and dig my heels into the floor. "Aedan, I'm not setting foot into any room with you that has a bed!" "Princess, I'm being serious."

My look says it all – Yeah, right.

"Scouts' honour." He holds up his hand. I place my own pair on my hips once more. "You were never a scout." He nods. "Yeah, but it sounds a lot more reassuring than 'mobsters' honour', don't you think?" I let out a sigh but fail to hide the small smile which follows his joke. "See, you love me really." "In what universe does a smile equal love?" But he's no longer listening as his foot nudges the door open to reveal my room.

Sweet jelly doughnuts.

Scattered all over my bed are presents of various sizes, all wrapped neatly in purple paper and all donning a silver bow. My favourite colours. Of course he'd remember that too. Now, if only he'd remember that I don't like him. "Aedan, listen, I can't accept these gifts." First I'll try the gentle reasoning approach. "Of course you can." Let's try the blunt approach. "Let me rephrase that, I won't accept them." He pick up a small gift and holds it out for me in his open palm. I know all too well what piece of jewellery fits perfectly inside that sized box. "I think you should open this one first." Time for plan C. Brutal verbal force. I inhale deeply and psych myself up for the string of insults I'm about to deal out. But before I can even open my mouth, a cell phone cuts me off. "Hold that thought, Princess." Aedan presses the phone to his ear, his other hand fidgeting with the gift. "Talk to me."

I let out my breath and run a hand through my hair. Men. Whether they're former Rangers who occasionally do classified work for the government; or Irish Mafia crime lords who just can't take no for an answer – they all have one thing in common, cell phones which interrupt at the most inopportune moments. Then again, it could just be me and my Plum luck.

"I'll be there in nine minutes." Typical Aedan. Out of the two years I knew him, I never once said he'd be there in five, or ten, or even an hour. It always had to be some random number of minutes, just to be different. What was worse, he always stuck to that time. I guess some habits never change. His gaze turns to me and I swear he thinks I'm frowning with sorrow that he's leaving. Boy, he could not be further from the truth. "I'm so sorry Princess. I'll make it up to you, I swear." I try to dodge his kiss but his lips somehow manage to make contact with my own pair, and I melt the moment his tongue touches mine. He nibbles gently on my lower lip for a brief second before beginning a slow trail of kisses down my neck...The moment he reaches the swell of my breast, I gasp. There goes a brand new pair of Victoria Secret panties. Suddenly, the warmth of his mouth is gone and I'm confused. After a few moments, my vision manages to focus on his grinning face. "I knew the spark was still there."

I would give up Pineapple upside-down cake right now if I could just wipe that smug grin off his face.

My glare burns into his back as a races out to the lounge, grabbing his coat and motioning to Kirk to follow his lead. "I have to go out for a while, I'm not too sure for how long. There's some business stuff which needs sorting out via teleconference. You know how it is. Anyway, I promise I'll be here tomorrow morning and we'll spend the day together, just you and me. It'll be perfect." Without waiting for my response, he opens the front door and the pair of them leave.

Thank god.

Heaving a sigh of relief, I drop myself onto the couch. Cushiony comfortable goodness. Well, it would be if my cell phone wasn't digging into my hip. Apparently, my day could get worse. I wriggle it out of my pocket and check the display. Ten missed calls. Three new voicemail messages. Only three? This can mean only one thing. My mother has yet to get wind of Aedan's appearance. Maybe there is a God after all. Looking up to the ceiling, I give a thumbs up. "Of all the things that could have gone right, you chose the best. Good call."

Curious now, I listen to the first message. "Babe." I'm surprised that Batman left a message. I was so sure my Rhino rant had left him speechless for at least the remainder of the night. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time my assumptions about the Man of Mystery have been wrong. And I'm sure it wont be my last.

Message two. "White girl! What's this I hear about you eloping with some Mafia hotshot? I just got a phone call from my Tankie telling me that Batman just got his ass handed to him on a platter and that you're moving to Ireland to become the Queen of the hitmen. You better be filling me in soon." Now this time, I'm not surprised. Ever since Tank and Lula had gotten back together four months ago, the pair have been inseparable and I've noticed that unless it's classified, there's not much Tank doesn't tell Lula.

Message three. "Babe, call me when he's gone. Immediately." I replay the message. Nope, I heard it correctly the first time. Batman wants me to call him as soon as Aedan's gone. Which he is. I scroll through my contacts and hover over Ranger's number. I could call him, or I could always procrastinate and delay the inevitable confrontation. Yeah, that sounds nice. I quickly scan the room looking for some urgent excuse to 'forget' his message. Unfortunately, Rex is staying with my nieces for the time being, my house is still tidy from last weekend's massive clean and I can't think of a single skip which needs to be caught. My eyes catch sight of the groceries. Phew, I was starting to worry for a minute there.

Approaching the table with caution, I peer into the bags. Milk, bread, assorted fruits and vegetables, and even some cold cuts. No ice cream, no chocolate, no sugar laden sweets. Typical male, he forgot the essentials. Shaking my head and tsking, I reach inside the first bag and grasp the milk. The moment my hand settles on the cold carton, there's a small click and my gaze instantly goes to my front door. The locks tumble and seconds later, Ranger is standing in my door way.

Of course.

_A/N: Hi everyone sorry for the long absence but I had semester two of university and then exams. (Lame). Anyway, hope this chapter is good enough to get you all interested again. Review and let me know what you think. _


	4. Now I Know Better

_**Stephanie's POV**_

Ranger's eyes move slowly, as though taking in my apartment for the first time. First the groceries on the counter. Then the suitcases tucked in the corner. And finally, the neatly wrapped gifts scattered across my bed. "He's gone." It's a statement, because the Man of Mystery does know all. "Important business apparently." There's a brief pause as I keep my eyes trained on the milk in my hand, and Ranger keeps his eyes on me. "You didn't call." His face remains blank but his tone is soft. "I didn't want the milk to get warm?" My voice rises slightly at the end and my statement becomes a question. I'm not exactly domestic, so my knowledge of dairy products is lacking. A small smile forms but it doesn't quite reach his eyes. Silence falls as I stack away the groceries, thankful for the distraction, and Ranger makes himself comfortable on the couch. But all the while I can feel his gaze on me and I can also feel the effect it's having upon me. A warmth starts to spread from my chest and gradually inches lower, while the typical Batman tingle slips from my neck and down my spine.

_**Ranger's POV**_

I watch my Babe cautiously, today has been one hell of a roller-coaster ride and I'm desperate to get off. First I found out she has an old flame I knew nothing of, then it turns out the old flame is still hot for her and just happens to be the head of the Irish Mafia. If things couldn't get any worse, he hacks my security system and tells me how to run my own business in front of my own staff. When I finally have a moment to process this all, I can't find a single trace of the Irish Mafia in Stephanie's history...heck, according to her file, she never even set foot in the damn country. And to top it all off, the huge stomach churning loop-de-loop at the end, according to government records the bastard's release of prison is one hundred percent 'legal'. Someone, please, pull the emergency brake. Or at least get me a sick-bag.

I had my people watching her apartment of course, and I myself was even one of the men sitting there holding a pair of binoculars. I knew the moment he left and was slightly disappointed when my Babe didn't call. I knew she'd gotten my message and was probably looking for any excuse to conveniently 'forget'. I waited the full five minutes that my thinning patience would allow me before I exited the vehicle and practically ran into her building. Dios, what this woman does to me.

Babe finally comes to a stop as she realizes there's nothing left to unpack. I can't hide my smirk as she double checks each bag before glancing around hesitantly for any discarded items. Admitting defeat, she turns back to me. "So...Got any plans for the weekend?" Why yes, yes I do. I plan on running your ex-boy friend out of town before finally telling you how I really feel about you. "Babe." She holds up her hands in surrender and takes a seat next to me on the couch. "Ok, ok. I'll tell you how I got involved with Aedan. But it's not a very interesting story. I don't get covered in any unidentifiable substance, I don't have a plus sized former ho sidekick and I most certainly don't blow up any cars." "I'm sure you wont disappoint Babe."

"Alright, I arrived in Dublin on the 11th of April 2002. I grabbed a room at a cheap youth hostel and a tour guide of all the city's hot spots. I was only planning on staying two, maybe three days, so I thought I'd get in as much fun as I could. I put on a little black dress with slits in all the right places, grabbed a pair of leg lengthening FMPs and applied two coats of mascara." At the mention of the dress and heels, my body begins to stir and I curse my lack of self control when it comes to Stephanie. Focus Manoso, focus. She's hardly going to be willing to tell the story twice because you got a distracting hard-on the first time. "So, I went out with a few of the other backpackers and we ended up in some popular nightclub, having a couple drinks and dancing. After about half an hour, I remember there was this sudden hush. I mean, the music didn't stop but everybody in the entire place fell silent. And then ten seconds later, the whole place was back to normal, like nothing had ever happened." My babe starts to fiddle with the corner of a cushion, and I can tell she's looking for any excuse not to look me in the eye.

"Five minutes later, I'm still in middle of the room - enjoying some much deserved male attention – when a pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind and all five guys back off without so much as a 'see ya'." I can't help the way my hands curl into tight fists at the mention of other men. "Five, babe?" She throws me a quick burg glare. "I'll have you know that many men find me attractive-" I quickly grab her left hand and place an apologetic kiss in the centre of her palm. Pink slowly creeps into her cheeks. "Babe, you know I find you irresistible. That was jealousy talking. Please, continue." But her gaze is fixated on my lips and she only licks her own in response. I won't deny it, knowing I still have this effect on her is satisfying to say the least. "Babe." Stephanie blinks and quickly returns to fidgeting with that damn cushion. "I turned around, and there was Aedan. I figured what the hell? And just started dancing with him. We chatted a bit, had a few laughs, it was like meeting any other guy at a nightclub. When I finally decided to turn in, he asked me out for the dinner the next night. I figured sure, I'd already made it clear to him that I was only in town for a couple of days and he seemed fine with it at the time, so I said yes." I finally ask the question which has been nagging me since the beginning. "Did you know what he did for a living?" My Babe sighs heavily and runs a hand through her beautiful curls. "He made it clear from the very start what he did. And I was young and stupid. I thought he was all bark and no bite, maybe he ran some errands for a low level Mafioso or something. I didn't honestly think he was the son of the Mafia Don. Had I known the truth, I would have hopped on the soonest flight home and never looked back...would have saved myself two years of...of...stupidity." The last part is muttered angrily as she struggles to find the right word. Her voice is heavy with regret and one look into those blue eyes and I know she's blaming herself. The truth is, O'Doherty would have put a man on her the moment they parted. From the first meeting he'd probably fallen for her hook, line and sinker. I know, because the same thing happened to me. The day she walked into that diner, I'd felt my heart slam against my ribs, my palms began to sweat, and felt as if I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. That is the effect of Stephanie Plum; and the best part about it is that she has no idea she's driving you mad with desire. That innocence was what had sealed the deal with O'Doherty, I guess.

"Babe, you can't go blaming yourself. Any other guy would have been bluffing, you just had the unfortunate luck of attracting the only guy that wasn't." I try to reassure her, she squeezes my arm in appreciation and even throws me a smile. "The next day I did the whole sight-seeing routine and when I got back to my room, I found a package waiting for me on the bed, along with three dozen white roses with a little card. It was a dress, a really really nice dress. And a killer pair of heels. I know I should have been concerned about him breaking and entering my room but I decided that if I was only in town for two more days, it hardly mattered. Yet another bad idea." Her eyes are rolling at this point and I'm glad she's able to see the funny side, however how small it may be. "He took me out to some fancy restaurant, we did a lot of talking, ate a magnificent meal and then we danced a little. At the end of the night he was supposed to take me back to the hostel but instead, we wound up at the most expensive hotel in the city. Got to the suite on the top floor and all my stuff was already waiting for me. Apparently a princess should be living in comfort. It's at this point that my 'spidey sense' finally kicks in. So, the moment he's gone I go through all my luggage and everything is there. Not even a sock is missing. But something still felt off, I didn't know what exactly, but I just had this gut feeling that I needed to leave – and fast. I packed my bags, set an alarm and managed to fall asleep eventually. Woke up at 5.30 the next morning-" I can't help the way my eyebrows raise a millimetre in disbelief. But my Babe doesn't miss a thing and folds her arms across her chest, giving me a glare. Her look is enough to lower my eyebrows and remind myself that there is no scientific evidence that a man has ever lived through the rhino mode twice in one day. "Anyway, I woke up and I ran across the road to grab a coffee before catching a cab to the airport. I can't have been gone for more than ten minutes but when I came back...everything was gone. My clothes, passport, money, everything. And there he was, just sitting on my bed with this huge smile on his face. I tried to run, but there were guys waiting outside the door. I tried to struggle, but they were twice my size. I tried to kick one of them in the balls, that time I did succeed." There's an evil glint in her eye and I have no doubt in my mind that she was very successful. I stretch my arm out along the top of the sofa and my hand settles on the back of her neck. "Proud of you Babe." She smirks at me. "You're just glad it wasn't you." I give her my 200-watt grin. "That too."

"And that's how it all began. I spent the next two years in Ireland, virtually his prisoner just under the title of 'girl friend'. I tried everything. Running, hiding, bribing people, threatening people. I threw tantrums, I tried to act sweet to gain his trust, I gave him the cold shoulder. None of it worked. After about three months I gave up and just acted like me. If he wanted Stephanie Plum so badly, he could have her. I was sure that he would eventually tire of me and one day kick me out. But it never happened." Stephanie shrugs, discarding the cushion to play around with the television remote. I know she's deliberately skimming over the content of those two years but I'm not too sure why. I figure that it was either really bad, or really good. Either way, she knows that I'll be mad and is frightened of my reaction. "Babe, I need to know, did he ever hurt you?" She drops the remote at this and shakes her head. "No! He never hit me, never forced himself upon me. The man is a giant jerk – I'll be the first to say it – but he would never do that." Stephanie suddenly shifts and leans into me, curling up in the nook beneath my shoulder. I wrap my arm around her and press her body close. God it feels good to have her in my arms again. These past four months of Babe-abstinence have been hell. I instinctively bury my face in her curls and inhale. Along with her shampoo, there's the smell of my Bulgaria...and something else. Inhaling deeper, I pick up the scent of a man's cologne. The bastard had held her. Babe senses my stillness and tries to diffuse the tension. "If it makes you feel any better, he hates your body-wash. But I told him the shower gel stays." I chuckle. Some of the tension's gone, but I still have the urge to scrub her clean until any trace of him is gone. I lift my head, tilt her chin up, and inspect my Babe, trying to determine if holding was all he had done. My gaze fixates on her lips. He kissed her. The son of a bitch kissed my woman. The thought of his lips on her pushes me over the edge. Without warning I crush her against me and kiss her for all I'm worth. She lets out a moan, wrapping her arms around my neck and rubbing herself against my thigh. Even through her jeans I can tell she's wet. In response, my already hard cock starts to twitch, begging for her. Dios.

I manage to salvage my self-control and break off the kiss. Stephanie's eyes are glazed over, her lips are a little swollen and despite the fact I don't remember tangling my hands in her curls, her hair is thoroughly mussed. Reality quickly creeps back into her system. "What was that for?" Because I got jealous. Because the idea of another man touching you in unbearable. Because I wanted to wipe away any memory of that bastard. "He kissed you." Apparently this isn't the right thing to say as she stands up to full height and pokes me in the chest. "I know he kissed me. And I know why. I want to know why you did it!" Quick Carlos, think of something romantic, something that will put you back in her good books. At this request, my mind goes blank. And so does my face apparently, because she shakes her head and starts to walk towards her bedroom.

While she has her back to me, I take my chance and attempt to discretely adjust my tight cargos. I only manage to gain the smallest ounce of relief. My bad luck can't possibly last all day, could it?

I silently follow her and glare at the packages strewn across the queen bed. Normally the sight of this bed brings back fond memories of our one night together, and all those nights she lay in my arms during the Scrog incident. But right now all I can think about is tipping the damn thing over so I don't have to see O'Doherty's gifts. Judging by her sigh and 'I'm so over this' posture, I can tell my Babe isn't exactly thrilled with what she sees. Apparently I'm reading her all wrong tonight tho, because she suddenly leans forward and snatches up the nearest gift. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she quickly unwraps the box. Without even opening the damn thing, she throws it back on the bed and picks up the next gift. I stare as she repeats the process again and again, each time not bothering to look at the gift inside the jewellery box. "Babe?" I finally find my voice. "If they're still gift wrapped tomorrow, he'll force me to open every single one in front of him. Then he'll make me try on every damn piece. And I really don't want to have to go through that, again." I nod in understanding but decide to change the topic. "So how did you manage to get out of Ireland?" Her eyes cut to me for a moment before she resumes her task. "I got lucky, that's how. We were out one night at a club, the same one we met at actually, and he had gone outside for a few minutes to take an important phone call. My usual body guards were at the bar sneaking themselves a drink while the boss wasn't looking. So I was alone for once. Well, I was for about two minutes, then some slime-ball starts hitting on me and it was anything but subtle. Now normally, men had learnt to avoid me like the plague. I was Aedan O'Doherty's girlfriend. You didn't touch me, you didn't look at me, you couldn't even think about me because he'd find out and he'd kill you – or so I was told on multiple occasions." I mentally cringe. Despite thinking myself so much better than O'Doherty, I have said very similar things to men on occasion. Guys at distraction jobs, the odd FTA with a boner, and even a few of my men. She may not know it, but the word on the street is that Steph belongs to me. And personally, I like it that way. "This guy however, as luck would have it, was from out of town and did not know the rules. So he started with some nasty pick up lines, offered to buy me a drink, the usual. I told him no. I was also going to tell him that if he cherished his life, he better scram. But apparently, no woman had ever said no to the bastard, because he got real mad. He started shaking me, gripping me so hard I had bruises for two weeks afterwards. He was cussing and swearing and spitting out things like 'you fucking two-bit whore' and 'I'm going to teach you a fucking lesson or two'. I tried to push him away but it only made him madder. Then slapped me." I let out a low growl but my Babe decides to ignore it and reaches for final gift.

"While I was seeing stars, Aedan came to my rescue. Kirk dragged the bastard outside and Aedan carried me out after them. I was sat down on the bonnet of a car and what happened next is something I'll never forget. Aedan went berserk. Mental. Crazy. Whatever you want to call it. He just lost all control. He started beating this guy up, every inch of him he could reach he punched and kicked. It was ferocious. He didn't pause for a second, just kept on pounding and pounding. All the while, he was shouting at the top of his lungs. Pretty soon, this guy was on the pavement, curled up in a ball, but Aedan just wouldn't stop. I tried to talk to him, tried to get him to stop. But nothing worked. I would have stepped closer but Kirk kept me restrained. Thank god someone in the club had called the police after watching me take that slap. Because if they hadn't arrived and physically dragged Aedan away, I know the bastard wouldn't have lived to see another day." Steph pauses for a moment and examines the jewellery box in her hand. The fear has crept into her voice and as I settle on the bed next to her, I notice she's trembling slightly. I wrap an arm around her shoulders and drag her closer. I want to reassure her that I'm a better man, that I would never do such a thing. But it would be a lie. I'd killed for her before, and I would never hesitate to do it again. Unlike Aedan, I'd like to think I was in control enough to refrain from beating a man to a bloody pulp before her own eyes. "Anyway, the cops arrested him and he ran up a bill of charges. There was the assault on the scumbag, there was resisting arrest, assaulting an officer – he managed to give one of the cops a shiner before they cuffed him -, and carry concealed, since they'd found one knife, two guns, and two pairs of knuckle dusters on his person that night. Since he was the Mafia Prince, they were looking to give him the longest sentence possible. Unfortunately for them, it turned out the guy hitting on me had been an FTA wanted for skipping on charges of rape. Using this information, Aedan's lawyer managed to convince the jury that Aedan was the hero. And I guess he was, if he hadn't been there for me, who knows what could have happened." Ok, so he had done one good deed. But that couldn't wipe away those two years he'd put her through. I hope she's able to see it, because I don't want to be the one to point it out. Hell, if I was a real asshole, I'd remind her that had it not been for O'Doherty, she would have never come into contact with the FTA in the first place. But I'm not stupid. Telling her to ignore Aedan's act of heroism will only make me seem like a douche and push her further into his arms.

"In the end, Aedan got a five year sentence. And on the same day he was put behind bars, me and his father had a talk. Declan knew the reality of the situation between Aedan and I since the very beginning and he was pretty sympathetic towards me. He always apologized for what Aedan had done and tried to make me as happy as I could be. He took me out when I was feeling caged up, he cheered me up with stories about his childhood, he was a shoulder to cry on when I lost my cool. He was like a father to me. It sounds cheesy, I know. But that's the only way I can describe it. He cared about me and he wanted me to be happy. And that's why the moment Aedan was in jail, he booked me a flight home, arranged for a new passport filled with stamps of the countries I had supposedly visit on my extended OE – not surprisingly, Ireland was missing -, and told me to leave while I had the chance. Before then, Aedan had just as much influence as his father. Declan had tried to slip me out of the country a couple of times, but each time Aedan put a stop to it. Now that he was in prison, his powers were limited enough to give me my chance for freedom. I didn't hesitate. I stepped onto that plane and never looked back. Once I got back here, I just repeated the cover story me and Declan had formulated every time people asked questions. Somehow, I managed to slip back into a normal life. Well, if you can call my current life normal." I feel the corners of my lips twitch slightly. My Babe's life is far from normal. But I couldn't imagine her living any other way.

"You never thought he'd come looking for you?" I try to hide the disbelief in my voice, but I know it's crept in. She hears it and bites gently on her lower lip, avoiding my gaze. "Honestly? No. But, just in case, I gave myself an expiration date on my fear of him coming for me. Taking into account the normal amount of money required to make his charges disappear and the fact that he was the son of Declan O'Doherty, I calculated he would spend six months in jail. I also figured that once he was out of prison, he would set about rebuilding his reputation and getting his assets in order. That would take him another six months maximum. So, I gave myself a one year window. If I didn't see him a year after I left, he would have moved on. I mean, I know he said he loved me, I just assumed they were empty words. I assumed that once I left the country, that would be it. I didn't honestly think that he'd come half way across the globe to get me." I fold my arms across my chest and raise my eyebrows a notch. In retaliation she rolls her eyes and waves her hands. "Well, I know better now, don't I?"

_A/N: Hi everyone, sorry this update wasn't sooner. I've been having a couple of crazy weeks. There was uni classes to enrol in, my Phantom of the Opera tattoo to design, and a Bon Jovi concert to attend (OMG – FRIGGIN' AWESOME!). Hope this chapter isn't a disappointment. Jealous Ranger will be making an appearance very soon and Aedan is going to be pulling out all the stops to convince Stephanie to come back with him. I know these chapters have been slow on action, I hope to remedy this soon. Hang in there. PS: Super important question and I'd love your answer – who wants to hear Aedan's POV? Let me know ASAP and I'll try to set it up in the next chapter. _


	5. Screwed Up In The Head

**Stephanie's POV**

I wake up to a sharp poke in my spine. I groan and roll over. Now I'm being prodded in the stomach. Ugh. Snaking a hand downwards, I investigate. I emerge triumphant and holding one of boxes from last night. Before I can stop myself, curiosity gets the better of me and I snap open the damn thing. Bad idea. Nestled in the velvet interior is a white gold diamond ring. I don't need to remove the ring to know there's an engraving on the inside. That is Aedan's signature. Every piece of jewellery he's ever given me posses a small inscription. Rings. Pendants. Bracelets. Everything.

I slam the lid down and throw the box across the room. For the next ten minutes I debate the pros and cons of leaving my bed. Pros. The bed is warm and safe. I don't have to get dressed. Cons. I wont earn much lying here all day. Aedan may try to join me. I haven't taught the fridge how to walk yet. Ranger may try to join me. Ok, so the last one isn't a con. But I'm not too sure that it's a pro yet. So that leaves the score as follows, pros: two; cons: three. Lame.

I roll over and climb out of the bed and into the bathroom to take care of business. One empty bladder and a twenty minute shower later, I'm fully dressed and ready to take on the world. Well, maybe not the world, maybe just Trenton. Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad. Baby steps are key. I cautiously open my bedroom door and glance around for any signs of an intruder. Thankfully, my only visitors are a Grande size Starbucks cup, a paper bag that is suspiciously shaped like a bagel, my motor bike keys, and a post-it note. My hand wraps around cup and I can't help but smile at the fact that it's still warm. Of course. I dig into the bag and pull out a BLT bagel. Yum. As I eat the bagel over the sink, I glance over the post-it. 'Princess, see you at the bond's office at 10am. Love, Aedan.' Another mental debate takes place as I consider the results of me not turning up. He'd probably hand in my resignation to Vinny – complete with my forged signature. He'd introduce himself to Lula and Connie as my fiancé. And then Connie would tell the whole Burg. Next thing you know, my mother's on the phone wanting to know if it's a Spring or Summer wedding. Sweet Jesus.

I glance at my watch, chug the coffee and snatch up my bike keys – it's time to haul ass.

I burst into the bonds office and glance around frantically. There's no Aedan in sight, just a startled Lula with a doughnut in her hand and a frozen Connie with a set of half painted nails. "Is there anyone in Vinnie's office?" They both shake their heads. "Oh thank god." I sink down into the fake leather couch and lay my head back. Dear god, I feel like I just took five years off my life. "Expecting someone?" Connie is back to painting her nails, and despite the innocent tone, I know she's snooping for answers. "Yeah Skinny white girl, you wouldn't by chance be looking for some Mafioso Irish boyfriend, would you?" Lula polishes off her doughnut quickly and turns to me expectantly. "He's not my boyfriend. And if he tells you otherwise, he's lying. And if he says he's my fiancé, he's double lying." There's a tingling sensation down my spine and I close my eyes briefly so I can roll them. "Didn't know people could double lie, babe." I open my eyes once more and throw Ranger an annoyed glance over my shoulder. "I guess you learn something new everyday." He gives me a 200 Watt grin and I feel the tension in me lessen. He was just messing with me. Before he can reply, Lula speaks up. "So Batman, tell us about Steph's new hunk of burning love." At once the grin is wiped from Ranger's face and he sends Tank a look that would make the Hulk hide in the corner and cry. In retaliation, Tank shoots Lula his version of intimidation in a glare. However, as we all know, it is impossible to intimidate Lula. Standing to full height, she places an unimpressed hand on her hip and cocks her head. "You got a problem Tankie?" Tank is quick to avert his gaze and shake his head. He even takes a hasty step backwards. "Of course not baby." I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from laughing. Connie is putting all her concentration in her nails. And Ranger takes a cautious side step, putting space between him and his second in command. Clever man. Before any of us can think of something witty to break the tension, the bell of the bonds office jingles and we all turn our gaze to the door. Aedan.

"Good morning Princess." There's a low whistle and we all turn our gazes to Lula. Her eyes and roaming Aedan and her look is an appreciative one. "Man, that is one fine Irish wolfhound you got there white girl. Where have you been hiding him all these years? Better yet, why would you hide him?" I'm not too sure how to answer this question. So many responses spring to mind and I just don't know which one to choose. He was in prison. He's a lying, kidnapping scumbag. I decided he was a man best left forgotten. He was a douche-bag. So many answers, but which one to choose? Thankfully, I'm saved by an angry looking Tank clearing his throat not so discretely. Lula instantly turns her gaze back to him. "Oh Tankie, don't act like that. He can't hold a candle to you."

Before anyone else can interrupt, I snag my chance. "Listen, Aedan, me and you need to talk." I try to keep my voice firm, my gaze unwavering and my back straight. It's a lot easier this time since I'm on my turf, surrounded by my friends and people are definitely going to notice if I don't turn up for work on Monday. "Alright. But first, I got you a couple more presents." Without even waiting for my answer, he pushes the office door open and nods to Kirk who's standing beside a recently purchased black van. Kirk in turn inhales deeply and let's out a sharp whistle.

A mystery man steps out of the driver's side and circles over to the passenger side door. Getting the handle a sharp tug, he yanks the door open and barks an order. "Single line formation. On the pavement. Straight backs. Now." The accent confirms my suspicion that Aedan had bought his own men with him rather than hire temporary thugs here. At this command, there's a bunch of angry muttering followed by the distinct rattling of handcuffs. I watch in horror as a line of 9 men exit the van, each with his hands and feet cuffed together. As I exit the office, I recognize at least half the faces presented to me – my skips. He went out and caught my skips for me. As ordered, they form a single line and stand to attention. Well, all except Mooner. I face palm myself and step forward, grabbing Mooner's cuffs. "Aw, jeez. Not Mooner, god. Kirk get those cuffs off of him. He's Mooner for Christ's sake!" Kirk looks to Aedan for an order and is given a small nod. "You got it, Steph." As he's releasing my former high school buddy, I take a look at the ones unfamiliar to me. But I can't recall any of these faces. Stepping back into the office, I give a quick shake of the head. "Aedan, not all these men can be my skips, I only have 4 folders in my bag." I turn to him for an explanation. I know he's good, but I hardly think he can predict who is going to skip bail and who isn't. "Those are all the skips I was going to give you today." Connie speaks up, holding up five brown folders for me to see. Of course.

"Let the pothead ride upfront with you, Duncan, he seems harmless enough. Take them all into the station and get the paper work sorted out. Give us a call if there are any problems from the cops." Kirk explains the plan of action to the driver of the van. As he rounds up the men, I try to figure out exactly what I'm going to do about Aedan. Something has to be done. And it needs to be done soon. If not, then I may go to sleep in my bed one night, and wake up the next day on a plane headed to Ireland. There are several different routes I could go down but none of them are pleasant. I could take the direct approach and tell him to take a hike, but he'd never listen. I could ask Ranger for his assistance, but I'm worried that he may make Aedan go away...forever. Hiding in a safe house seems like the plan of a damsel in distress – which I am not. And unfortunately, I was sick the day my lecturer covered 'making yourself disappear 101' at university.

"I smell smoke, babe." Ranger's voice drags me kicking and screaming back into reality. I slip my hands into my pockets and shrug. "Your sense of smell must be off today Batman. If there was smoke, the sprinklers would have gone off." Batman lets out a low chuckle and leans against Connie's desk, pulling out a pen from his jacket pocket. "So you wanted me to sign something?" He asks, glancing down and waiting for forms to magically appear. Connie tears her gaze away from Aedan and begins to hunt through her draws. "Oh, yeah, Vinnie finally got your contract renewal sorted. It's identical to the last one, just like you asked. Terms and conditions left unchanged." Ranger nods in understanding, and as he bends over to sign along the dotted line, I find my gaze drawn to his ass. The mere thought of him commando under those cargos sends a hot flash through me.

"Princess." Of course Aedan doesn't miss the direction of my gaze. He has an internal alarm system to detect such things. The moment my sexual attention is turned onto another man, little alarm bells go off in his head, his testosterone levels kick up a notch and his alpha male routine becomes unbearable. Sighing, I manage to compose myself and discretely check for drool just before Ranger turns to face me once more. Phew. Batman graces me with the full 200 watt smile and I feel compelled to smile back. Damn he's good. All he has to do is throw a smile my way and it's as though he wasn't acting like an inappropriately possessive alpha male jerk yesterday in the garage. One stupid sexy smile and I want to drag him down onto the ground and give him something to really grin about. Something that will have him smirking for weeks to come. Stupid hormones.

But before Aedan has to shake me out of my fantasies, the sound of a revving engine manages to make me momentarily forget my desperate need for male attention and turn back to the problem at hand. Namely, Aedan. I rotate 90 degrees to face the man in question and out of the corner of my eye, I see the tail of the black van turn left at the end of the street. "You ready for your final present?" Aedan's voice has dropped an octave and I will myself not to ruin my panties. _It's just another weapon in his arsenal_, I tell myself. He's trying to use your body against you. Again. I plant my hands on my hips, roll my eyes to the ceiling, and attempt to raise a single eyebrow and fail. "Like saying no would stop you anyway. Go on, what is it? A car? A motorcycle? A plane writing my name in the sky? You've booked out an entire restaurant?...Actually, that's not a bad idea. Did you book out Pinos? Jesus, you didn't _buy_ Pinos, did you?" I try not to let my imagination run wild with the possibilities but it's hard not to. He's got the money, the influence and the man power to do almost anything. If he really put his mind to it, the man could have done something ridiculous like started World War Three, purchased an island, got my face printed on the one dollar bill. Oh dear god. "Let me show you." And before I can stop him, he starts to slowly unbutton his shirt. Every female in the room inhales sharply. "Aedan!" I manage to hiss his name in annoyance. But he refuses to stop and I'm helpless to control the heat spreading through my body. There's a growl coming from Ranger's direction and Batman steps forward to save us all but Kirk pushes back his jacket, flashing the butt of his gun. But the whole time, Aedan's eyes haven't left mine. Running out of buttons, he shrugs his shoulders and the material silently hits the floor. And there it is.

My name, over his heart.

Stepping closer, I raise a hand and tentatively touch the marking. The ink is black, the lettering elegant and beautiful, and the entire word a true work of art. Aedan's hand settles over my own and he presses it firmly over the tattoo. "I got it the first day I was in prison. I wanted to keep you close. It was the only thing that made those three years bearable, I swear." I close my eyes as he provides his explanation. This is just like Aedan. He drives me insane. He infuriates me to no end. Pushes my buttons. Rubs me the wrong way...And then he goes and does this. One minute my opinion doesn't matter, I have no say in my life and he can do to me whatever he pleases. But the next? I'm centre of his universe, he wouldn't last a single day without me, he'd die if I left him.

Whoever said women were confusing had it all wrong. Men are ones who are screwed up in the head.

"Outside O'Doherty, now."

_A/N: I couldn't get the font myself, but the image I have in mind is a Burgues Font. If you type in 'Burgues Font' in Google Image search engine, you can see images and get a rough idea of what I see. Some may not agree with the tattoo over the heart, but I personally think it says a lot when one person has a name of another carved and etched into their skin._


	6. Place Your Bets Ladies & Gentlemen!

_**Ranger's POV**_

It takes me a moment to realise that everyone's gaze is fixed upon me. It takes me several more moments to realise that I was the one who had spoken.

Connie is suddenly busy typing. Lula is filing her nails. Tank is eyeing me with interest; probably deciding if he should restrain me, or just let me rip O'Doherty to pieces. And my Babe's eyes are darting between me and the Irish prick, her mind quickly scheming to keep the two of us apart. Before she can figure something out, I step forward and exit the office, knowing full well that O'Doherty will follow my lead. As I retreat down the familiar alley, I focus my energy on trying to slip back into my zone and keep my rage in check. Easier said than done.

A full minute later, O'Doherty rounds the corner, buttoning up his shirt. As he lazily finishes the task, he has the sense to keep a good metre between us. Sliding the last button into place, he lets out a bored and exaggerated sigh before looking me straight in the eye. "What can I do for you, Manoso?" "Leave. Don't come back." I don't think my fury will let me form complete sentences. "Trust me, once Stephanie and I have left this hell-hole, I don't plan on us ever returning." The smart ass is trying to aggravate me. Unfortunately, it's working. "The Irish aren't known for being intelligent, so I'll make this as simple as possible for you. Stephanie is never going back with you." It's a childish insult and I regret resorting to such playground tactics, but the green-eyed monster of jealousy has never made me articulate. O'Doherty blinks once, clearly unfazed. "Why don't you do everyone a favour and back off now, while I still allow you the chance." And that's the signal I've been waiting for. Up until now, I've assumed open threats are off the table – just in case Stephanie caught wind of them and was highly unimpressed. Knowing he is prepared to sink to this level, gives me the all-clear to follow suit. It's time for the blunt approach. "I've killed for her before O'Doherty, I won't hesitate to do it again."

"Ah yes, the Abruzzi 'suicide'. I thought it was quite cute when I read about it in the report." He lets out a low chuckle, throwing me a condescending look. "Manoso, we'd both kill for Stephanie, I'll admit that. But that's where our similarities end. Unlike you, I'll murder _anyone_. You'll do the moral thing and stick to the 'bad guys'. Me, Abruzzi, and I'm sure you would have made a few others 'disappear' if Stephanie hadn't beaten you to it" O'Doherty has clearly done his homework while plotting in prison. "But me? Good, bad, innocent, guilty – I don't care. Man, woman, child – it doesn't matter. If anyone stands between me and what's mine, I won't hesitate to eliminate them. And that is what separates the men from the boys." And here it finally is, the true Aedan. A guiltless, destructive, and murderous demon. I've had no illusions about the monster that lies beneath those boyish charms and rouge smirks. If only my Babe could see him now; fists tightly clenched, a vicious snarl in his throat, and amber eyes practically glowing with rage. Her spidey-sense would go berserk.

_**Stephanie's POV**_

I stare in horror at the door that Aedan just exited through. Ranger and Aedan, alone together? I think the world might just implode. This is it, the world is going to end, all because I _just had_ to go globe-trotting. Crap. Crap. Crappity crap crap!

It'll be ok, I reassure myself. The _whole_ world won't implode, just New Jersey. And quite frankly, we need some renovations done, so maybe we should just consider this free demolition. Yeah, that sounds much better. I roll my eyes at myself. Ok, even I have to admit this Queen of Denial thing may have gone too far. But before I can berate myself further, Lula speaks up.

"Dammit white girl, you better get yo' skinny ass out there to make sure the two of them don't kill each other!" I laugh weakly at the idea that I could actually stop such an event from happening. If those two want to fight, there is nothing I – or anyone else – can do about it. In fact, it would be safer for everyone to avoid being a hero if such a thing occurred. Perhaps the police could set up a perimeter. Yeah, that could work. All we need are some traffic cones, some police tape, and a few riot police! Wait, dammit, where am I going to get riot police on such short notice? Maybe the Trenton PD could substitute for them…Perhaps I could give Carl a call and promise to babysit for the next three months. Stephanie, let's be reasonable here! You're right. I'll offer to babysit for the next two months.

"Better yet, if we get on to Vinnie's bookie, we could place a bet!" Connie interrupts my quickly derailing train of thought. A bet? Hmm, I could always use the extra money. But who would I place my money on? Instinctively, my thoughts turn to Ranger. Not only is he the more muscular of the two, but he's far superior in hand-to-hand combat. Unfortunately, he would probably try to make it a fair fight. Aedan, however, has never minded bending – or twisting – the odds in his favour. I wouldn't put cheating past him. Not only that but the memory of the scene outside the night club reminds me he can be physically brutal when he wants to be. Perhaps I should just save my money.

_**Aedan's POV**_

I run my eyes over my latest foe. Carlos Manoso; AKA: Ranger. Troubled youth and juvenile delinquent. Top in his military classes. Thoroughly accomplished soldier. An expert in strategic-planning, weapons use, and hand-to-hand combat. And connections to both the top and bottom that could rival my own. A worthy adversary and by many standards, a formidable opponent. He was also the sole reason I had not simply thrown Stephanie over my shoulder and flown back to Ireland the moment I had landed. Her attachment to him has complicated my plans. Not to mention that it disgruntles me, _slightly_.

But like any foe I have faced in the past, I have designed a well-orchestrated plan to eliminate him. Unfortunately, because I want to remain on Stephanie's good side, I intend only to have him killed once we have left the country. I'll wait a few months until we have settled back into our old routine, and then pay some overly-priced assassins to make it look like a terrorist attack on the Rangeman building. With his previous military history, the government won't hesitate to believe it. And I am hoping the time and geographical distance between now and then would lessen Stephanie's suspicion of me. Even better, I will swear to her that I will 'hunt down those responsible for such a horrific act'. I have even begun rehearsing my lines. "_I know he wasn't my biggest fan, Princess. But he was a good man. I promise, whoever did this, will pay." "Oh, Aedan, thank you! Thank you so much!" And then she throws her arms around me in appreciation. Who knows, maybe she does something else to show her appreciation – _

"And you think that will win her over, O'Doherty?" My fantasy is cut short before it can truly begin. I growl in displeasure and return my focus to Manoso. "Well, you've killed plenty of innocents yourself and she still seems to tolerate you." A low blow, but as I have just stated, nothing is below me when it comes to Stephanie. As his fists curl, a new phase of my plan begins to form. This will be too easy. "Oh no, that's right! Stephanie doesn't know about that 'other life' you lead, does she?" I throw in a sneer for good measure. "She has no idea about the dozens of people you have maimed, beaten and tortured. She's none-the-wiser about the boys you left fatherless, the screams of the women you ignored, or the families you destroyed."

The first blow breaks my nose and the second catches my eye and splits the skin of my temple. But before he can land a third, I have my gun out and aimed at his head. His breaths are coming out in short, sharp spurts. And his entire body is shaking with rage. "She will never leave this country with you. She knows you now, and she has changed a lot since you last saw her. She won't let you walk all over her this time." He tries to warn me sternly. "You idiot, Manoso. I don't need to walk all over her, not when I can manipulate her instead." I laugh at his naivety. "I know exactly how to pull her strings. I know how to make her cry, how to make her laugh, how to make her feel guilty. I wrote the manual on Stephanie Plum. Trust me, when the time comes, she will be boarding that plane to Ireland thinking it was her idea." I use my sleeve to wipe away the blood pouring from my nostrils, and holster my gun once more. I give him a smirk and begin to exit the ally. "Thanks for the injuries by the way. I'm sure nurse Stephanie will take good care of me."


End file.
